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CurtainUp The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features,
Annotated Listings |
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A CurtainUp DC Review
Titanic
First, there is the subject matter: a shipwreck, lost lives, hopes shattered. Then there is the size of it: a set that evokes the stature of an ocean liner, a very large cast and a 17-piece orchestra. With the audience seated on four-sides of the square stage and the orchestra on the second tier of one side the show is surprisingly intimate. Much of the credit for the ambiance goes to scenic designer Paul Tate dePoo III who, with cantilevered gang planks, a crow's nest and a wooden floor has given the actors plenty of space on several levels . Even the floor under the audience's feet is painted to look oceanic. Hopes were high for the maiden voyage of what was in 1912 the grandest and largest passenger ship to have been built. A "ship of dreams" and "a floating metropolis," it was called by the architect Thomas Andrews (Bobby Smith), its owner J. Bruce Ismay (Lawrence Redmond) and Captain E. J. Smith (Christopher Bloch). Ismay's avarice and determination that the Titanic would be the fastest ship to sail the Atlantic, Andrews's naivete, and the soon-to-retire Captain's diffidence about his job — he even handed over responsibility for the voyage to his inexperienced assistant William Murdoch (Kevin McAllister)— led to disaster. There's a splendid number in the second act, "The Blame" as the three face one another in a triangle, each pointing to the other. Maury Yeston's music and lyrics, well served by Josh Clayton's orchestrations and James Moore's music direction, are reason enough to raise Titanic from the depths of musical theater history. Plus the ensemble of gifted actors/singers is pitch perfect. Many in the cast are well known to Signature audiences. Particularly astute are Tracey Lynn Olivera who plays wittily the social-climbing third-class passenger, and Stephen Gregory Smith as the crew-member who sees the iceberg the Titanic will hit. Actors Nick Lehan and Kevin McAllister get a chance to prove that they are also fine musicians. Florence Lacey is regal as first class passenger Ida Strauss who is married to the man who owns Macy's, which by the way was just one of the famous names dropped. Mr. Guggenheim (Sam Ludwig) and Mr. Astor(Matt Conner) were also on board. As one of the passengers notes, the Titanic is "a sight for once in a lifetime." Signature's Titanic is also a "once in a lifetime" musical. > |
PRODUCTION NOTES Titanic Story and Book by Peter Stone Music and Lyrics by Maury Yeston Choreography by Matthew Gardiner Directed by Eric Schaeffer Musical Direction by James Moore Orchestrations by Josh Clayton Scenic Design by Paul Tate Depoo III Costume Design by Frank Labovitz Lighting Design by Amanda Zieve Sound Design by Ryan Hickey Cast: Hasani Allen (Jim Farrell/Stoker/First-Class Passenger); Iyona Blake (Caroline Neville/Mrs. Thayer); Christopher Bloch (Captain E. J. Smith); Sean Burns (Bellboy/Third-Class Passenger); Matt Conner (Charles Lightoller/John Jacob Astor); Erin Driscoll (Kate Murphey/Mme. Aubert); Jamie Eacker (Kate Mullins/Madeleine Astor/Charlotte Cardoza/Dance Captain); Florence Lacey (Ida Strauss/Third-Class Passenger); Nick Lehan (Harold Bride/John B. Thayer/Joseph Bell/Third-Class Passenger/William Hartley/John B. Thayer/Joseph Bell/Third-Class Passenger/William Hartley); Sam Ludwig (Frederick Barrett/Benjamin Guggenheim/Third-Class Passenger); Kevin McAllister (William Murdoch/Bass Player); Katie McManus (Kate McGowan/Eleanor Widener); Christopher Mueller (Henry Etches/Herbert Pitman); Tracy Lynn Olivera (Alice Beane/Third-Class Passenger); Lawrence Redmond (J. Bruce Ismay); Chris Sizemore (Charles Clarke/First-Class Passenger); Bobby Smith (Thomas Andrews); Stephen Gregory Smith (Frederick Fleet/George Widener/Stoker/Third-Class Passenger); Russell Sunday (Edgar Beane/Officer Boxhall/Third-Class Passenger); John Leslie Wolfe (Isidor Strauss/Officer Hitchens/Third-Class Passenger). Running time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission. Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Shirlington, Va. 703-820-9771; www.sigtheatre.org December 13, 2016 through January 29, 2017; tickets start at $40. Review by Susan Davidson based on December 20, 2016 performance. REVIEW FEEDBACK Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
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